My Little Homophobic, Racist, Smart-Shaming Pony

Having been thoroughly indoctrinated as a child to love ponies–and My Little Pony in particular–much of my understandings of femininity and heteronormativity come directly from my childhood interactions with cartoon ponies. (Diary excerpt: “I love wearing heels, it makes me feel like a pony!”) Looking back on TV shows like My Little Pony andPrincess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders–shows in which the powerful female figure was demonized as evil and the main character was always blond and blue-eyed–made me think, “Wow, the old days were so sexist and racist and heteronormative–thank goodness kids shows aren’t like that anymore!”

But alas, I spoke too soon.

Recently, I was fact-checking a Ms. Blog post regarding the sexed-up makeover of various children’s toys–in this case, the hallowed My Little Pony franchise from Hasbro–which led me to their website and an introduction to the latest My Little Pony TV show.

The very first image I saw was this:

I was immediately concerned that the only pony that looked slightly angry or tomboyish was the rainbow pony. Since there’s a false stereotype that all feminists are angry, tomboyish lesbians, it was disconcerting to think that a kid’s TV show would uphold this. I watched the video clip and, indeed, the rainbow pony stands out as having a perpetually maniacal expression while the others are cute and cuddly.

According to the “meet the ponies” page, which invites viewers to click on a pony to learn about each of their distinct personalities, “Rainbow Dash” is “capable and athletic,” “lives for adventure,” “brave and bold” and proves “time and time again that she is a true hero!” This positive portrayal made me wonder if perhaps the company was not providing a caricature but allowing for a positive account of gender-bending, and so I asked for a second opinion.

I showed the video to fellow Ms. intern/blogger Kyle and asked, “What’s wrong with this picture?” he responded, “There aren’t any black ponies. Why aren’t there any brothas on the wall?” I had originally assumed that the purple ponies were supposed to represent black ponies, but he was right–the ponies don’t seem very racially diverse.

But then we noticed that there were, indeed, black ponies:

Yes–the only black ponies in the TV show My Little Pony are slave ponies to the white pony overlord! How can we expect kids to grow up rejecting racism when they watch shows like this?

Finally, I went looking for an episode of My Little Pony online to further dissect and discovered the following description:

‘Get your muzzle out of those books and make some friends!’ That’s what Princess Celestia tells Twilight Sparkle. She may be the smartest unicorn in Equestria, but Twilight Sparkle gets an ‘incomplete’ in friendship. There’s more to life than learning magic, after all–so she goes to Ponyville on a mission to make friends. There she meets five special ponies who take her on exciting adventures and teach her the most powerful magic of all … the magic of friendship!

This cheerful description of an authority figure specifically ordering a pony to stop studying so that she can make friends reminds me of the infamous Barbie quote–”Math class is tough.” Ponyville seems to be a culture that dismisses girls who prefer reading books to playing dress-up and looking beautiful (and sparkling, of course).

So overall, these are the lessons My Little Pony teaches girls:

Magical white ponies are suited for leadership; black ponies are suited to be servants.

Stop learning! You will overcome any obstacle by resorting to strength in numbers (of friends).

Girls that wear rainbows are butch.

You need the government (ideally a monarch invested with supreme ultimate power and a phallic symbol strapped to her forehead) to tell you what to do with your life.

What’s your take?

Comments

OMG!! LOVE LOVE! Brilliant and crazy – butch rainbow pony? servant of color pony? I'm becoming more and more convinced that toy makers are all ex-cultural studies grad students out to make ironic commentary about hierarchical social structures (when I stop believing that I get totally depressed about the state of this country, so dont' burst my bubble!). I definitely think the same folks that invented this madness also had a hand in that evil fem-bot VIDEO BARBIE — I can't stop thinking about her: she's got a lens in her chest, batteries in her legs, a video screen on her back (under a fab zebra hoodie), and a USB port in her, er, hip! I KID YOU NOT. Check it out: http://storiesaregoodmedicine.blogspot.com/2010/1…

Wow. This is not what I got from watching the show AT ALL. Of course, the reviewer admitted to only viewing a few short video clips and reading a few short descriptions of the show, instead of actually watching the show. I wonder if her opinion would change after actually viewing an entire episode or two?

Lessons pulled from a show aimed at young children are all about context. Without it you can pretty much make a case for any point you're trying to prove. For example:

1. The "magical white pony" is only the sole leader for the purposes of setting up the story that takes place over the first two episodes. By the end of the second episode her sister, a "magical black pony" is returned and is once again a princess. The two black ponies you see standing guard in the frame you have in your post could look damning — except for the fact that several minutes into the first episode you see a pair of white ponies, also servants. So, no, the only servants in this show aren't black ponies indentured to the white pony overlord.

Regardless, the lesson here isn't about skin color. It's about equality. Within seconds of the introduction of the first episode you see what it's actually about — balance. The "magical white pony" and the "magical black pony" represent yin and yang; equality.

The question, in my mind, is this: "When tenuously trying to bring race equality into a children's show about ponies, why not take note of the fact that all of the ponies have different skin colors?"

2. The lesson here is, again, wildly out of context. The princess tells the main character to go make some friends because friends were required to sort out that very specific issue. It isn't about strength in numbers. It's about practical experience. The main character could have continued to study — and then what? Without the ability to properly apply that knowledge it would have ended in failure.

Again, it's about experience. You can go to university to become a surgeon, graduate with honors, and still never become the lead surgeon at a hospital straight away. You have the knowledge, but you don't have the experience. You aren't going to be leading a heart surgery in your first week. You'll be assisting a team. A carpenter doesn't automatically become a master carpenter once he's graduated. There is a set number of hours of work experience and apprenticeship required before they can be the best of the best.

Even with that in mind, you have to keep in mind this is a show for developing minds. We can argue about what means what all day, but you have to remember a six year old isn't going to be taking things like this away from the television they watch. The real lesson here is, again, balance.

It isn't healthy to obsessively study, or do anything else obsessively. The main character in the show doesn't give up studying — she just makes friends on top of it. Time and time again the main character turns to her books for a solution to the problem presented in any given episode, normally to great success.

It's about promoting a healthy lifestyle.

3. I think Lauren Faust puts it best when questioned by a fan of the show on the sexual preference of the character in question:

"Excuse me while I get on my high horse, but I don't think that being assertive, athletic, or even arrogant are traits that are exclusive to boys. Making assumptions about anyone's sexuality based on their personality is just wrong.I want girls to feel free to be who they are whether or not it's considered feminine.
If that makes them a tomboy or a lesbian or neither, more power to them!!! [ http://comments.deviantart.com/4/1603670/17759619… ]"

Putting all that aside, the character might as well have been an established character already. Rainbow Dash is a combination of Hasbro losing the copyrights to almost all of the original ponies, and Faust wanting to capture the spirits of those original ponies as closely as possible. The Rainbow Dash character is based heavily on Firefly, one of the original ponies.

While I can't pull a direct quote about the appearance of the rainbows on Rainbow Dash, in the same link I provided above Faust mentions that the character's personality was only questioned in concern to selling toys, in that a non-girly character might not sell well — but the issue was quickly dropped.

The fact that this is a problem for you at all makes me wonder, had the cast been composed entirely of very feminine characters would your third point have been about the lack of a strong female character?

4. The idea that the princess pony is supposed to represent government is laughable. Outside of the fact that her name begins with 'Princess', she is referred to over and over again as the main character's teacher, not her ruler.
Teachers tend to tell you how to do things; it's sort of their job. In giving the main character a nudge in the direction she needed to head in she was doing what any good teacher would do for a student. She didn't give her specific orders on who she was to befriend, or how she was to do it, or even when she was to do it.

I can understand writing up an opinion of a television show based on a first impression, but generally you try and watch the entire first episode before you start bandying about the lessons you think the show is promoting.

As someone who lives with a pony loving four year old and has tolerated many of the older versions of the MLP shows, and who has now done a pretty extensive study of the new shows, (by which I mean watching them dozens of times with said four year old) I have to agree with Skrattybones' assessment.

I can see how the episode descriptions, website and background knowledge of what MLP shows of the past have been like led you to the conclusions you wrote about, but even a half assed viewing of the show itself would have changed those conclusions. It's not, like, the world's best, most diverse show for kids, but as far as shows marketed to girls it's above the grade. The characters have diverse personalities, the ponies have real adventures, there's decent plot and writing, and there was A MANTICORE. It's a show marketted to young girls that doesn't talk down to them.

"but you have to remember a six year old isn't going to be taking things like this away from the television they watch."

Okay, I'll bite. If children don't internalize racism, homophobia, and similar "othering" messages from the media they consume, where *do* they learn them?

Furthermore, if a six-year-old can internalize messages about "balance" and "a healthy lifestyle" from this particular cartoon, why *can't* a child internalize messages about which ponies they should – and should not – be like?

Oh, yes, kids can learn from TV.. but do you really know where they learn? At home. If you act one way or another, if you use a tone o a word referring to someone… they COPY it. Because children imitate what their parents/brothers/sisters/grandparents do.

That quote appears to be referring to whether a six year old would consider the sort of interpretations that adults can read into an image after a full day of consideration and reconsideration. I agree that it's reasonable to say that what adults think of something after a lot of serious attention is not likely to be what a young child thinks of something after briefly viewing it.

I would also like to point out that throne is not only all about hierarchical power structures, it's not very accessible! I am off to write fic where the Princess Teacher pony gets wheeled hindquarters and demolishes the staircase!

@skrattybones–Does the black pony princess make an appearance outside of the first two episodes? The concern is that it's an example of "tokenism" –the show makes an overt effort to explain that they are not racist by showing overt examples, but then once that statement is over, then it goes back to its original, non-inclusive state. I think that's partially why there's a very public discourse of people saying, "No, I'm not racist"–but then they go ahead and do very racist things because they've figured out what "de jure" racism means but not "de facto." (So de jure in this case would be, "Hey, we've got our token black pony princess," and de facto would be, "brown isn't a pretty enough color, so we're excluding them from this tv program."

Yes, the ponies are all different colors–but those colors include blue, purple, and pink. That's fake diversity, based on the premise that blue, purple and pink are nice colors to look at but that brown or black are ugly colors that girls wouldn't want to look at. That kind of exclusion is problematic.

That's interesting about the princess as a teacher. Do you think that could also be interpreted as a type of "nanny-state" which attempts to guide its people in all things moral (for example, the last few administrations pushing abstinence-only education) ? The connection does bother me.

I think you need to watch the episodes. There are ( ! ) brownish ponies in it, as well as burnt orange ponies. Allso Yellow ponies, red, purple, bule pink, white, black, grey. every colur you could think of. Hey there are even ugly ponies, and a really cool granny pony! No one of them is representing any skin colurs of humans. ( The only pony that might represent something at all is in fact not a pony but a very cool zebra with a native African style to her. The little ponies is first scared of her, and the mystery around her . But the moral of this episode is to not judge anyone by it's "stripes". A great episode that I really would like both old and young to watch)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI9T4QRkkQ4

There is no "nanny state" in MLP FIM. Princess Celestia tells Twilight Sparkle to make friends because all she does is study–EVER. Does that sound healthy? It's like playing World of Warcraft 24/7, except even LESS social since WoW players are at least interacting with other people over the internet. Out of concern for her favorite student, Celestia tells T.S. to make some friends; it is her PERSONAL relationship with T.S., not her position as ruler, that causes Celestia to do this. The princess ponies' main job is not to govern, but to raise the sun and the moon. When a dragon threatens Ponyville, the most Celestia does is send Twilight Sparkle a letter saying, "Hey, there's a dragon over on that mountain." The main characters are left to decide for themselves what to do about the dragon.

The ponies' skin colors don't correspond to ethnicities. NONE of the ponies are Caucasian, Asian, black, or any other human race. Thus the obstacle of race is removed for any little girl (or boy) who identifies with a particular character. An African-American, Caucasian, or Asian girl can't point to Twilight Sparkle and say, "I can't play with that pony because she's not my race" because NONE of the ponies are ANY race.

OK so the author & Skrattybones both make good points. I think the lesson is: question what your kids watch. Watch the cartoon & make your own opinions & never assume a kids cartoon is totally innocuous

OH MY GOSH. I am a feminist, and I am all for avoiding forcing gender stereotypes onto children, but this is insane. Just because Rainbow Dash has rainbow hair, she's automatically supposed to be representing lesbians in a stereotypical way? Sheesh! If you watch the show, you'll see that each of the ponies has a unique personality.

This person was LOOKING for reasons to not like it. There were a lot of characters in the original pony series who were not stereoscopically girly, as I recall. Also, the new one has all female main characters who are fully intelligent and capable of doing things, even non-girly things. I don't see how you could not like MLP Friendship is Magic. Pinkie Pie is overly bubbly, but it's to the point where it's meant to be funny, not serious. Rarity is the vein, fashionable one, but might we remember that there really are vein, fashionable people in the world, so it's okay to incorporate that into an anthropomorphized pony cartoon…? I don't think she is meant to represent the whole of woman hood. We also have characters in this show who like learning, harvesting apples, tending to animals, and flying. But of course, when one character can not be accused of being too "girly" then she must be making fun of the LGBTQ community.

"I showed the video to fellow Ms. intern/blogger Kyle and asked, “What’s wrong with this picture?” he responded, “There aren’t any black ponies. Why aren’t there any brothas on the wall?” I had originally assumed that the purple ponies were supposed to represent black ponies, but he was right–the ponies don’t seem very racially diverse."

UH, geez, they're PONIES, not humans. They don't have races. They come in three varieties: earth pony, unicorn, and pegasus. And sometimes a combo. I don't think Hasbro sought to make sure that any of the ponies where white or Eurocentric or anything else.

I think this cartoon is fine for your children. I loved My Little Pony as a kid, not because it was some pinnacle of femininity but because it represented fantasy and wonder and the possibilities of your imagination! Also, as Freud said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar . Not everything needs to be analyzed. I think a lot of the author's assessments are unfair and frankly ridiculous. The world is not a politically correct place, and shielding your children from every thing that might possibly be the tiniest bit offensive or stereotypical will not prepare them for anything. All you've got to do is just let them know that they don't have to fit into those stereotypes or make anyone else fit into them.

This is ridiculous. The armored unicorns aren't slaves or servants, they are GUARDS. And there are plenty of white guards too (at least four). Furthermore, the unicorns are not black ponies, but grey. The colors don't equate to any ethnicity. Applejack (orange pony) has an extended family that includes yellow ponies, red ponies, brown ponies (yes, there are brown ponies), green ponies, etc. "Orange" isn't a race of pony and neither is white, black, pink, green, or purple.

As for Twilight Sparkle's smarts being "dismissed", if you'd bothered to watch the show you'd see the opposite. Her knowledge saves the day more than once and when other characters visit her she's often in the middle of a book or conducting a scientific experiment. She's still smart and bookish–just no longer anti-social.

It is you, not the show, who is equating "lesbian" with "adventurous and tomboyish." Rainbow Dash is exactly what she appears to be, a pegasus with rainbow hair. Her personality came from Firefly (1980s pony), but Hasbro wouldn't let Lauren Faust use Firefly's name/appearance. So she combined Firefly's personality with the name and colors of a pre-existing pony, Rainbow Dash. (I suspect this was strongly at the urging of Hasbro, since Rainbow Dash had been one of the main characters in the previous iteration of MLP, along with Pinkie Pie.)

I am going to assume that this is satire and that you really aren't so bitter and sad that you feel the need to pick apart a child's show that is actually promoting diversity, friendship (despite differences), and empowerment. Because otherwise this article is just sad.

Good golly, this is a child's show. You're starting to sound like Rush Limbaugh and Tinky Winky Teletubbie with the red purse. The only reason kids get any of those ideas is because of people like you feeding it to them. I never questioned gender roles or sexual preference or racial indifferences on a cute little bouncy kids show about rainbow colored equines.

Your the people who promote the boring cartoons the local channels have on local networks today. You are the type of people who got rid of afternoon cartoons, and the saturday specials.

Go make cookies or something.. You'll only understand what makes a good production until you are actually sitting next to children and watching it with them.

Let's remember one thing: THESE ARE PONIES. they arent Bratz, or Barbie, or Disney princesses…or She-Ra, He-Man, GI Joe, etc etc etc. If you're going to accuse a cartoon character/kids toy of being racist & homophobic then why not look to the shows & figures that are actually people? I think (to pick out the worst IMO) Barbie Bratz & Disney are wqaaaaaaaaay more concerning that MLP. Barbie at least *attempts* to be more conscious, she at least has jobs like scientist or dentist and there are barbies of different ethnicity. But she is still crazy sexy and dresses like a hoochie mama. Bratz are the WORST for appearances. If my daughter walked out of the house looking like that at age 8 or 9 (i assume some of the target ages) i would be horrified. Disney princesses are the worst for attitude – the Oh dear, i need a strong prince to come and rescue me because i am so empty headed i cant figure out anything on my own….. even the more recent ones (Princess & the Frog) where the girl character is more independent and self-reliant…well she still has to be rescued by a male character in the end.

The same holds true for toys & shows aimed at boys. They tell the boys that they need to play with guns and play sports and be into trucks and construction and like to blow things up.

None of these are positive role models for our children.

BUT. just because they watch it doesnt mean they will automatically be brainwashed.

My daughter is 5 and loves pink, fairies and princesses (and ponies!). However she loves Darth Vader, baseball, sports, and all the cartoon bad guys (Venom & Sandman from the Spiderman cartoon, for example). She doesnt care if it's a boy thing or a girl thing – if she likes it, she likes it! My son is 3 and is absolutely obsessed with trucks and construction vehicles and Spiderman. But, he loves to dress up in HIS Dorothy costume, play with HIS MLPs, wear jewelry, and he loves butterflies.

Now, to address the show itself:

Racism – how can you suggest the show is racist? The grey "slave" ponies that are singled out are the Princess's guards. They arent racist, any more than the Secret Service is. What is there about them that suggests they're slaves? the armor? um, they are war horses. War horses wear armor. No, there arent any distinctly BLACK ponies except the "bad guy" – but her black color is to symbolize NIGHT. not ethnicity. Do you WANT them to put an obviously black pony in? how do you suggest they do that without resorting to a stereotype? What abouit an Asian pony? or an American Indian? The ponies have no ethnic differences. they are all the colors of the rainbow. Yes, they are unicorns, pegasi, ponies, and unipegs. But one species does not oppress another.

Homophobic: ummmmmmm….yeah. right. even if Rainbow Dash actually WAS gay, i dont see the homophobia. the other ponies dont harass her or insult her or abuse her…they dont hate her…they're FRIENDS. and she is portrayed as a physically strong athletic girl. Where's the problem in that? cant non-gay girls be athletic and strong and like rainbows? dont you think that maybe, just maybe, the show developers were trying to show that it is OK to be a female who likes to play sports & would rather wear jeans than pretty dresses?

Princess Celestia: she is a teacher, guide, and mentor. She is not a "ruler". she doesnt order everyone around and issue proclamations. She is simply there to help the ponies discover that they all have something special inside them. Yes, she is a Princess. Yes, she has guards, and an evil sister, etc. She is also the reason the sun rises & sets, while her sister is the Princess of night & the moon. Dont we all have someone we look up to as a guide or mentor? a professor, grandparent, parent, friend? Same thing.

In a nutshell: if there is an underlying message to be had, i believe it is that people of all different types can be friends and appreciate each other's unique selves. Whether you are bookish & smart, shy, athletic, bubbly & excitable, like to dress up & fix your hair, or love to be outdoors…we can all get along. And that learning and working together are wonderful.

This article is yet another tiresome example of a "journalist" (and I use the term very loosely) having too much time on their hands and deciding to spew overthought crap without doing any proper research first. It's like the article was written based off screenshots and reviews rather than the actual show itself.

I think the most rediculous part of this is the concern over race. The main characters of the show are brightly colored because that's what appeals to little girls. A pink pony will sell better than a brown pony. Does that mean that Hasbro is discriminating against brown horses? Of course not. It just means that they want people to buy their toys, which is the entire point of being a toy company. There are no sinister motives, they're just selling and marketing little colorful plastic horses.

Ponies exist in a fictional land where race (as it relates to humans) doesn't even exist. There are not "black ponies" and "white ponies"…there are earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasus, each a different color, and they all interact as equals. That seems like a good lesson about racial equality to me.

Regarding the "slave" ponies…how exactly did the author reach that conclusion? All I see is two ponies wearing armor. Are the ponies forced to stay there against their will? Are they chained up, or beaten, or threatened? Did the princess buy them? Is there ANY evidence at all that they're not simply guards, as their armor implies? It is a huge leap to just assume they are slaves, and it's a leap that I doubt an average 6 year old would make.

To Sayantani…I have no idea what you're talking about. The video camera Barbie is odd, sure, but I fail to see how it's "evil". Barbie's approach to femenism (or lack thereof) is a discussion for another day…I'm just not sure how the addition of a recording device is any kind of commentary on women.

You obviously haven't watched the show. In fact, the last episode dealt directly with racism, and the importance of not judging a book by it's cover. Part of the awesome thing about MLP is that they aren't any race, they are freaking ponies, to be enjoyed by all. Crappy, nitpicking "articles" like this make the feminist movement look bad (I'm a feminist, and a radical political thinker, AND a tomboy and I love My Little Pony).

This article is a perfect example of trying to stir up a commotion with no actual basis in fact. It's MY LITTLE PONY for crusts sake! I think that the new episodes are the best they have ever been. They aren't watered down BS with no stoyline or plot.
While there are the severely conservative mothers out there that would rather have their children watch total censored mush, there are quite a few more who realize what a complete turn around for the better the new series is for the pony fandom. If you want your tv more censored than this I suggest you don't own one.

For the extreme "feminists" out there accusing the Rainbowdash character as being some hidden agenda for a gay stereotype, just look at Applejack. She's a rough and tumble tomboy. She hates frilly dresses and loves to stomp in the mud. She's tough and extremely independent. The gay finger isn't pointed at her simply because she isn't covered in rainbows.

By writing an article like this it proves just how much YOU YOURSELF lean on stereotypes like this! If Rainbowdash is gay for being rainbowy then I can think of at least a dozen other ponies that are too.. Infact.. There's a rainbow in the mlp logo!
I'm a strait person and I've always loved rainbows. The colours that flow into eachother are brilliant. So there, HAH!

As for being "racist" the thought is just plain ludicrous. These are magical equines who's only real "race" (though breed more accurately describes it) Are unicorn, pegusai and Eathling. The ponies are all colours of the rainbow. Skin colour wouldn't even come into play being as the ponies have coats of fur. We as people aren't black and white so much as tan/peach and brown/darkbrown. So you just can't make that kind of judgment. More than anything it makes YOU sound like an idiot. Especially (as stated above) colour doesn't equal role at all in the mlp world.

There is a BLACK and WHITE zebra with Africanesque dialect. I suppose you all will accuse the TV show of racism because of her, but she's there to put more depth into the characters. The episode itself focuses on the ponies being unsure of the zebras strange ways and markings.. and by the end they are taught not to judge on outward differences.

The idea that someone would dissect and badmouth this cartoon this much (especially with just barley watching one episode) is just kind of sad. Seriously, you're embarrassing yourselves. So kindly step off, would you?

Isn't feminism about acceptance? Sure you can have your own opinion, and I respect that, but it's not fair to be so crucial of a children's cartoon. The way parent's raise children is always different, and some children pick up 'bad influences' from their parents. I'm not putting anyone down of course, but I don't think I'm the only person who would agree with this. I actually commend the people who are standing up to this article in such a positive manner, it is very important to give kids positive messages and acceptance. I don't have any kids of my own, but I raised my two brothers from the time they were infants to about 4 years old, and I taught them to be accepting, but not to believe in nonsense. As Morgan Freeman stated in an interview, one of the easiest ways to combat racism is to stop talking about it. I think it's time to stop telling kids what to think and let them be themselves, times have changed, there may not be as much structure, and everyone is fearful of something.. but I'm tired of hearing about racism and cruelty on the news, to me, humanity should be above that. As parents and role-models, it is our responsibility to set the oncoming generations in the right direction. One of the phrases my dad used to try to use against me is "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." To me, trying to force someone to do something, is asking them to rebel, lead your horses (or ponies for that matter) to water, and let them do what they want to do, what they have learned to do through your teachings, through the positive influences of others. I didn't enjoy reading this article.

This article makes me sad. It clearly started from the premise of "I do not like this show" and then worked its way back to find reasons. Even if the author is right and there is some stereotyping that occurs, I defy the author to name another good show that does not have some of the same problems. Cartoons often use these archetypes because in using an extreme example it avoids having to do any complicated backstory for the charachters. When this is done it is often slightly offensive to that group to see all of those stereotypes attributed to them, but the real proof lies in how the charachters are USED, and the charachters in this show are all used fairly while being unique.

Also next time watch the show first before commenting on it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but at least do some research so that you can sound intelligent about it.

Celestia was only trying to help Twilight Sparkle get over her Asperger's Syndrome. And when she's done helping Twilight, she's helping Pinkie Pie with her ADHD and her Rarity with her obsessive compulsive disorder. And you're an asshole for talking shit about her while she's trying to help troubled ponies with their psychological problems. As for the so-called slaves, they're only her slaves at night when Celestia's in the mood for S&M (not that they're complaining).

The funny thing is, Twilight's intelligence is presented in a positive light, she represents one of the six "elements of harmony."

There's one episode that deals with racism. Long story short? They're against it, and the characters who were worried come off as being dumb and repenting when they realize it.

Sexuality? Not touched on, but Rainbow Dash isn't angry or the only one who could be said to fall into a gay stereotype.

And the local representative of the higher government is… Twilight Sparkle. Who's in charge of the others more or less whenever it's time to do a mission, and learning something along the way is almost always major. So it's not about always being told what to do either, because these are all independent adult ponies who do what they want.

If one watches the show I'm sure you'll find all of the assumptions in this blog post turned on their head.

"Stop learning! You will overcome any obstacle by resorting to strength in numbers (of friends)."
Um, what? If you watch the show you would know that Twilight Sparkle relies on knowledge, and actually looks through a book to learn how to defeat the Ursa Minor (it's a giant celestial bear).

I'd argue about your other points but those are already covered. Just more sensationalist crap.

Hi. I'm Lauren Faust. I developed this incarnation of My Little Pony and currently serve as it's Executive Producer.

I don't what is more heartbreaking to me.

-That Ms. would post an article that is so clearly under researched and approached with wild pre-conceived notions and an extremely closed mind, or…
-that a show that I fought, as a feminist, to make positive for girls in an entertainment industry that disrespects their intelligence, reinforces old fashioned and limiting expectations on them, and severely under-represents them should be lambasted in such a manner by an organization that I have loved and respected since I discovered it as a teenager.

I sincerely hope the author of this post is kind enough to go back and actually WATCH several episodes of the series with AN OPEN MIND and reconsider exactly what messages are being conveyed. Absolutely NOTHING she has accused us of is or was anyone's intentions, especially not mine. Feminists who deliberately search for offensive material that is not there give us all a bad name and make it much more difficult for us to get anyone to support our cause.

Thanks to all of you who have come on to defend MLP:FIM. I was devastated when I first found this article, but your support has lifted my spirits!

On a sidenote, how can you possibly say the original My Little Ponies were heteronormative?? For several years they were NO male ponies . . . and even when they did make a handful of boy ponies (about twelve or so, compared with hundreds and hundreds of female ponies) they were only in one episode of the cartoon. If anything, My Little Pony has always been the opposite of heteronormativity . . . a world where there are literally no male-female couples and the female ponies fill both traditionally "masculine" roles and traditionally "feminine" roles.

Whats my take? What's my take? Well, my first thought is that this article was a parody of that infamous laugh riot of an article "My Little Calliponian" that was published in Bitch magazine a few years back. Author Jesse Rutherford thought that the My Little Ponies (then generation 3) reminded her of child pornography, what with the big pouty eyes and those big round haunches (stupid sexy ponies).

My second thought was then "wait, how long has Ms Magazine been in the satire business?"

"Yes–the only black ponies in the TV show My Little Pony are slave ponies to the white pony overlord! How can we expect kids to grow up rejecting racism when they watch shows like this?"

Being a guard to the higher ups is considered an honor, a symbol of accomplishment, and puts you at the top of the social latter second to only being a blood relative of a member in the royal family.

Also, gray is a neutral color. Purple is closer to black and lo beyond, what color is the protagonist?

"Stop learning! You will overcome any obstacle by resorting to strength in numbers (of friends)."

Ah yes. A pox on the idea of forming social relationships! Lock yourself inside a room and study by yourself 24/7. Surely this is the road to success in life, as long as society completely ignores the fact that you cannot healthily interact with others even if your very life depended on it.

You are the people ruining America, no, the WORLD. Neurotically obsessed, reading into what doesn't exist, and treating criticism, which should be objective and constructive, into a perverted treasure hunt to fuel your agendas. Using a innocent, harmless cartoon that has good lessons (you know, that one where they teach children about how education and socializing are equally important?) and twisting them into an ugly political battlefield.

We can also tell you have never watched more than one or two episodes, since you complain about Rainbow Dash being the lesbian athletic type, while remaining silent about Applejack, a shining example of an unachievable work ethic, not being above getting down and dirty and performing tasks that contradict age-old gender role tropes. Why is Dash the only one being christened the title of lesbian when Applejack is just as (if not, more) masculine than her? Probably the rainbow.

Whoops! I just associated rainbows with homosexuality, making a careless, bigoted, preconceived judgment. However, that's okay as according to you as ruling someone how has a tough girl attitude and a rainbow mark as a dyke isn't offensive. Glad I dodged that bullet.

Fluttershy is, as the name implies, shy, but is able cast aside her timid demeanor when push comes to shove. Rarity is uptight and snobbish, and Pinkie Pie's spontaneous and easy-to-excite attitude is pretty much her yin to her yang. Twilight Sparkle is the brains and is the hero in the most perilous situations in the series, utilizing her extensive knowledge and library to solve dilemmas time and time again, all the while not withdrawing herself. Wait a sec? She has friends and manages to keep up studying? How absurd! We all know that being a social butterfly and smart are impossible. After all, you ragged on about it.

You will notice I have not commented on race, since MLP doesn't seem terribly interested in representing races. It might be because adding mannerisms and physical characteristics is going out of your way to be racially aware which could in turn be interpreted negatively because it pigeonholes characters based on ideals we have about races, or may be because they're HORSES. I don't care either way and I'm not going to sweat small stuff that has never come across my mind until today. Even if they did have characters represent nationalities and ethnic groups, then everyone would complain about X or Y being left out, or criticize the way they are presented. It's better to have neutral characters than ride more on personalities than staples traits for certain groups.

Pretty much everything you whined about can be shot down with a rebuttal that could be pulled from the episodes that have aired, and the season's not even over yet, giving the show more time to prove how horribly wrong everything you have said is.

This is what i felt when i discovered it (and brought it to the attention of the My Little Pony Arena forum folks…who have been quite energetically commenting here!) I dont read Ms and i happened upon the article by accident, but in general i agree with a lot of their ideals and fundamental beliefs (with some disagreements, but that's to be expected!) i was quite horrified to find this article, that someone would make such gross assumptions based on 2 screen shots and the pony character descriptions on the Hasbro website. Even if it is not published in the magazine and only in their online blog, this type of ill researched and reactionary article is exactly why the feminism movement meets with a lot of skepticism and dismissal. How is anyone supposed to agree with the feminist ideals when this type of article only fuels the stereotype of feminists as unreasonable fanatics?

I can only wonder if this article had been submitted for paper publication, would it have made it in? Because it seems that this blog gives its writers full rein and no editorial veto……. i think the onl;y fault that lies with Ms Magazine is in not regulating it's online articles better. I also dont blame the organization, the feminist movement, or the magazine itself for this article.

and i have to note, my 3 year old son is always after me to "put the pony movies on your 'puter, momma! i wanna see the purple pony!" and then he sits holding his little Twilight Sparkle figure! (and i love it, having grown up & collected ponies since 1984!)

Wow, you know, I actually watched a few episodes of the show (unlike here), and as an adult, I could understand that you might think a rainbow pony might be a lesbian, or that having a single ruler and few males could hide a feminist dictatorship. I really don't think kids actually bother about this at all (that is, unless her worried mother point it out…) but it's a fun afterthought to have.
But RACIST ponies? Bringing RACISM in a show with BLUE, PINK, GREY, YELLOW PONIES ? I am a black guy and I didn't even THOUGHT of it !
You know, if you try to find racism everywhere, in the end you look like a paranoid fool, like that woman who thought a baby toy says "Islam is the light".
I hope the author seriously reconsider her article, it gives a really bad name to journalism…

As a 32-year-old man who grew up trained by society to avoid the color Barbie Pink at any cost, I found myself shocked by the superior quality of this cartoon, and quickly became a fan. The main characters, all female, are depicted as self-assured adults of various professions, not the silly schoolgirls or human-tended livestock of previous MLP series.

As for heteronormativity, only one of the main characters has (so far) shown any interest in romance, and that was an unrealistic fantasy about marrying into royalty. There are many discussions occuring in the seedier back-alleys of the Internet about which characters are which sexual orientations, and I shocked a few people into silence with my insistence that a particular character could be interpreted as transgendered, not lesbian.

This is satire, right? I mean, not clearly enough to be really entertaining, but it's got to be. Talking about lack of racial diversity in a world of pink, purple, yellow and blue ponies is just irrelevant- so that's obviously a joke. Talking about cartoon ponies in a world without sexual relationships having a sexual orientation? Also obviously a joke. Saying that a new version of these characters (where the ponies have diverse personalities and interests, where they're encouraged to work hard, learn, have friends and have fun) is somehow more repressive to girls than the previous version where all the ponies seemed to do (or so I've heard) is have tea parties and wear socks? It's not exactly funny, but it's got to be trying to make a joke, right?

Seriously, if this article WAS trying to be serious, it would be ridiculous. The few episodes I've seen (we don't get "The Hub" here) have been way more imaginative, adventure-filled and empowering to girls than the ponies I loved so much when I was growing up. It would obviously be looking for trouble where there really isn't any, and I trust that an established publication like this wouldn't print un-researched garbage. So it's funny. Ha, ha.

Ms Faust, if you read this, I want you to know that I'm one of the people who was prepared to hate the show. I didn't grow up with this style of animation, and I expected it to be… well, stupid. Then I watched the first episode online… and almost went bonkers waiting to see the second half because it was so good. The stories and characters are absolutely amazing (if you'd asked me a year ago, I would have said I'd go to my grave HATING Pinkie-Pie, but the new version is just hysterical), and I'll admit that the animation suits these guys perfectly. Still kind of scared of the toys, but the show has completely won me over. My sons have watched a few episodes with me and enjoyed them, too.

I can't believe the things that were written in this article and I'm a little infuriated.

I grew up with the original My Little Pony series and found it to be an incredibly positive factor in my childhood that sticks with me today. This series showcases that each individual is valuable and has their own strengths. It perpetuates the concept that anything is possible with dedication and it shows kids to be empathetic to everyone and learn about their lives. This series shows FEMALE ponies fighting monsters and defeating witches and standing up for what they believe in.

While I found the videos of the 2000s to be different as they were aimed at a younger audience, I think that Friendship is Magic has incredibly strong messages. As a woman who grew up living for grades I think the message that life is more than straight A's and is also about having fun and making meaningful connections with other people is completely appropriate and apt for the audience. This new series has showcased how teamwork, hard-work and friendship are the keys to a successful life. And it's spot on.

Lauren – As a life-long MLP series lover, understand that what you have done with the Pony world is magical and the show is one of the most intelligent and powerful kids shows on television in the last ten years. I hope that your show continues to inspire girls to be strong, independent, brave, kind and confident as the 80's series did for me!

You should start to think to remove this article, seriously. It's just making a fool of you. Aren't you embarrased? Or it's just that you are both stupind AND proud? I don't get it.

I'm not going to add anything more to what's been said. But I'd love to inform to Lauren Faust, that's probably still reading the comments, that I LOVE the show, it's the best animation I've seen in years. Not just because I'm a MLP fan, it's really damn good. You made pony fans and pony collectors dream again with a TV show, and it's something that, at least myself, had forgot so long ago. So please, don't pay atention to haters. You're doing a great job!!!

"the only black ponies in the TV show My Little Pony are slave ponies to the white pony overlord! How can we expect kids to grow up rejecting racism when they watch shows like this?"

This comment was so ridiculous I almost couldn't bear to read the rest – are you actually paid to come up with this stuff? "Overlord"? Over-reaction, much?!

My first assumption – having WATCHED the show – was that these ponies were GREY (not BLACK) because they were BOYS. And I'd assume they were paid, since there's no evil overlord. I assumed they were paid, male, soldier/guard ponies. GREY because they were BOYS.

And "Brothas"? Really!? Who talks like that, and do we want to encourage it in our kids?! XD

You want to maybe watch the show now and then re-write this joke of an article.

My Little Pony is and always will be a largely "girl thing" – hence the abundance of pink and female characters. Boys will like it, but much like things such as Transformers, the primary audience is going to be one specific gender. Deal with it. Get over it.

All the ponies in the current show have distinct personalities which fill both traditional male and female roles – the girls do magic and baking as well as manual labour and educating themselves (through books, as you would know if you had researched your topic before ranting like an ill-informed lunatic).

If anything, the show is GOOD for young girls – in a society where sex and relationships is seen as the "be all, end all" of the world – including on Disney Channel shows – it is refreshing to see characters sharing friendship, taking part in society in a diverse range of roles and being encouraged to educate themselves (through books and social skills – the "main pony" is never discouraged from reading her books, she is just encouraged to find out what ELSE there is in the world) as well as being taught good moral values such as, oh look – why it isn't good to judge people on appearance or colour.

How about that? Not as racist as you assumed by jumping to conclusions in your desperate attempt to find offense everywhere. I know this, because I watched it. Derp.

Stop giving those of us who genuinely care and work at equality for ALL a bad name. People like you are the ones who stop any progress being made because you make the rest of us a laughing stock. Try to focus your inherent rage on things that actually matter, but try to do it with an informed opinion next time. You know, that's what actual journalists do.

Oh, and that awful rainbow pony? She's not exactly "butch" – she's as cute and girly as all the other ponies in this FICTIONAL WORLD OF MAKE BELIEVE. For a tomboy, try the orange pony. Oh no wait, you didn't bother to watch the show did you. Nobody made her into a feminist. Nobody made her into a lesbian. You did. YOU were the one to jump to that conclusion. YOU were the one to dump that stereotyping label on her. Until you came along with this nonsense, she was just an individual pony. As a side note, if you did ever watch the show, you would notice the orange pony is actually more boyish than "the rainbow one".

Please get a grip and stop ruining society for those of us with an ounce of sense.

Rainbow Dash is obviously a lesbian because she has a rainbow for a cutie mark!

And having social skills and booksmarts aren't interchangeable at all – one should be completely distinct from the other. Having both doesn't ever help create a well-rounded individual.

Homophobia? Uh, this is actually one of the few kids shows I've seen recently that doesn't touch on sexuality or romantic relationships so I couldn't comment on that front (I notice you don't either, unless it is to attach the label of "boyish dyke" to Rainbow Dash, a title only you have come up with since you haven't watched the show to bother finding out what her actual personality is like!)

As it happens, Applejack is far more "boyish" (because girls have to like pink and popsicles and any girl that doesn't is "BOYish", right?) than Rainbow Dash but… yeahhhhh you'd have to actually watch the show to know that. Oops.

Should we start distinguishing CARTOON PONIES by race? Should we adhere to any stereotype on gender, sexuality or race? No, I don't think we should, because then people like you would be all over it complaining that Pony X is racist/homphobic/sexist because he/she/it conforms to race/orientation/gender stereotypes perpetuated by our evil society!

The ponies are indistinguishable in terms of class (save for the so-called "overlord"), race and sexuality. I thought this was a GOOD thing, but it turns out it's just racist and homophobic. Boo.

Try to spit your rage at things that matter, things that are actually offensive and try to inform yourself before you make a public post as a professional blogger (or whatever title you have bestowed upon yourself) about something you know nothing about. There are a lot of people in the real world working hard to change things for real, for the better. You are making a joke of all of us, bringing shame and ridicule to us and pushing the cause for equality for ALL further and further back.

Get a grip on reality and focus on the things that matter. Stop making real feminists look stupid.

Really? Am I the only one who read this article and thought it was satirical? I thought it was funny. There's a little bit of truth about toys/cartoons in general (the heroines being blonde, powerful women being b****es).. but for the most part I thought this was just contrived sillines

So, please Ms. Richter, can you tell us, did you write this article in good humor or are you actually serious about racist, homophobic ponies? I'm really hoping to hear a response on your part!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this was satirical as well and you all are just harping about nothing.
And by the way, My Little Pony, Imma let you finish but Powerpuff Girls was one of the best shows for little girls of all time! OF ALL TIME!!!

I quote you from the beginning of your post: 'Having been thoroughly indoctrinated as a child to love ponies–and My Little Pony in particular–much of my understandings of femininity and heteronormativity come directly from my childhood interactions with cartoon ponies.'

I think the first paragraph of your blog post is where your problem is and why you are seeing things i the cartoon that are probably not actually there. You give a lot of the credit of your personality to a toy and a cartoon. You are even implying that much of your understanding about females comes from your intereactions with cartoon ponies. Really? I guess you can talk to the TV but if it starts talking back it might be time to try talking to real living breathing people.

Your opinion on the new My Little Pony cartoon is pretty negative and your perspective seems to be completely twisted into finding evil in everything you see, even a simple cartoon about imaginary ponies.

I think Princess Celestia is right, you really need to seriously think about going out and making some real friends.

Did you honestly get paid to write this article, because someone needs to reconsider your position. Not only are you wrong about this cartoon series as a whole, you did not do any proper research, and made general assumptions by just a few brief paragraphs on the Hasbro web site – which honestly is more of a teaser for the series then anything.

First off, all the girls but two girls show off signs of being more "tom boy" then girly. The main character isn't even concerned about looks, as she is more focused on her studies; the orange girl, with the blonde mane is a farmer's girl who is often OUT ON A FARM, WORKING (and doesn't mind getting dirty), and the pink one is too busy being crazy and fun to care about being girly. The blue one has been in existence for MANY YEARS before this show, so I don't understand what the problem is with the rainbow as her symbol. Uh, hello? This was orginally created in the 1980's, where rainbows were a popular design for "feel good" series like this one (Care Bear, and Rainbow Brite do the same thing).

These girls share all sorts of different personalities, and problems that come along with those personalities. They don't always get along, and they have to learn from each other, and hey, guess what? Thats what friendship is, and thats what show is trying to tell little girls. In a world where girls would rather tell rumors about each other, or hurt each other because of their differences, I am glad there is a cartoon out there that is reinforcing the ideal that we can all get along no matter what.

Second off, you want to talk about racism? The one episode that even remotely indicates racism teaches about equality and understanding of one's peers. They introduce a zebra character, which none of the girls understand, and therefore, are frightened of her – and in the end, they learn that judging a book by its cover is WRONG. So you see, the racism in this series, if any, is there to shed light upon a serious issue of being judgmental towards others. And there is no homophobia in this cartoon either; even if there was some sort of fear for someone else, they would instantly turn it into some sort of lesson on why you shouldn't feel this way.

This is a wonderful series, something I wish I had when I was a little girl – a cartoon with substance and true meaning behind it. And yes, while its partial existence is probably to make money of its merchandise, you can tell the love the producers of this cartoon put in it. The characters are colorful, and wonderfully unique in their own ways, and the stories have a lot of heart in them, which isn't something I have seen in a cartoon for a while. The fact that the second episode had six different girls gather together, even though they all don't agree sometimes, work together to save their world with the power of friendship, bravery, and spirit says a lot about this cartoon. It teaches girls to believe in themselves, and to love one another, and don't you skew that for your own personal agenda.

This "article" is simply atrocious. Not only can every single point of critizism you bring up be refuted by actually watching the show, but your own stereotypes and bias shines trough clearly.
You see a headstrong and indipendent girl as a lesbian, you assume that the dark ponies are supposed to be black since you see them in a position that implies servitude, you single out the dark ponies as black despite that there are ponies in all the colors of the rainbow in all shades and hues and somehow find a unicorns horn phallic.
I suggest that you sort out your own prejudice before you put even a single word to paper on the subject.

What also hurts me is that you decide to attack the show just as it takes huge steps towards a unisex audience. I'm a 22 year old male college student whose media consumption usually consists of violent shooter games and movies and of recent, My Little Pony. I know there are more grown men out there who enjoy this show and there are online communities consisitng of adults forming around this show discussing every episode, compare favorite ponies and such. Boys and girls, young and old are watching this show and I really wish you would take some time to do that as well and find out how wrong you are.

What's my take? Needless to say, not the same as yours. Nor, apparently, is anybody else sharing your view; and I'm not at all surprised. This is the single negative article or review I've seen about Friendship is Magic (anyone with a shred of common sense loves it), and I'm saddened by the sheer absurdity of the direction your "complaints" have taken. The typical overly-PC tripe and simple-minded slavishness to stereotypes.

If you actually devoted some time to proper research and *watched* several episodes instead of the shallow, crude, and mediocre effort you did make, I believe you'd find out just how good this show is. You'd have also discovered that it doesn't rely on, or reinforce stereotypes.

Friendship is Magic is one of the very few truly enjoyable children's shows currently on television; to say nothing of its appeal to many outside the target demographic. Its writing and animation are excellent, it teaches good lessons without moralistic preaching (which I'm sure you're a fan of) or talking down to children, and the characters are well-developed and have very diverse personalities. The wide range of personality types captured in each of the ponies should, in fact, help girls to realise that they *don't* need to strive to conform to stereotypes. Why you believe the opposite is, quite frankly, baffling. Would you prefer a generic, simple-minded cartoon with cookie-cutter characters?

Do parents a favour and stop reviewing children's shows. If you can lambast one of the few excellent ones currently airing as you've done here, I shudder to think what you'd actually recommend.

Do any of you (who thought this is racist) have ever read the mythology of Unicorn and Pegasus? Care to tell me what is their main/default colour? Can't answer? Its WHITE. Do you think only Caucasians' mythology uses white? Think again. Recently we got Okami, the main character Sun-goddess Amaterasu took form of a white wolf with red stripes. Amaterasu's fellow gods are white animals too. The Moon Goddess Chang Er from Chinese mythology wears white garbs. White (pure white, not fleshy white) is a pretty universal colour because like black (jet black, not chocolate), its been widely used for different special circumstances. They are the "Ying" and "Yang", the 1 and 0. One cannot exist without another.

Y'all just proved that American Education truly failed when this kinda comment spews like wild fire (I am a Chinese Canadian)

The Pegasus Royal Guards are STEEL-GREY! The colour of steel to represent thoughness worthy to protect a surpreme being. If the guards are suppose to be "Black/African/American…. whatever", first, they'd need to be chocolate brown, second, need to speak like the twin robots from Michael Bay's Transformer movie or Jar Jar Binks. I didn't see any of these bullcrap! And I worked on the show!

It looks everyone told everything, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is one of the best shows ever made, it have not violence, gore, or the black humor that we see in many of actual cartoons. Why aren't there black ponies?, I should ask "Why many cartoons have not black characters or black heroes?", you adults show learn more things about kids who only see what they like and what they don't like, you think thye need be programed to like what YOU like, so Who's wrong?

I’m a proud, openly bi person who strongly supports GLBT rights. And honestly, I wouldn’t have thought to label Rainbow Dash “butch” or “lesbian” unless you had mentioned it in your article. Also, why do rainbows automatically make a person gay? Seems like *you’re* the one with preconceived notions on what gays and lesbians are like or not like. So why can’t a tough girl like rainbows and still be straight? I even knew a gay guy in high school who hated rainbows and dressed in black business attire every day. The point I’m trying to make is that you are, unintentionally, buying into stereotypes.

Also… how are multi-colored pastel ponies racist? Do the green ones hate the orange ones? You’re just being silly and looking for something to nitpick on.